Kate Fjell and Sherry Broyles have been promoting Boonville tourism for years. With their efforts, tourism has continued to grow each year enchanting people from all over the world with the charm that Boonville offers.

A little sprout of spring weather and the Tourism office has been hopping with people interested in visiting the area. I guess everyone is ready to think about sunshine and fun; a welcome diversion from this cold weather we have been having. I still think it is pretty amazing how many people visit Boonville from all over the world- we may be a small town, but we have big time attractions! It is all about marketing these big time attractions to get people into town.
This morning I received a call from a gentleman from San Diego California. He and his wife are planning a spring trip to Missouri to ride the Katy Trail. They had seen the Boonville ad on Bikekatytrail.com and called for more information about the area, plus dining and lodging options. This is not unusual; as spring gets closer we receive more and more requests for information packets that we are happy to send out.
Lisa McClary, Director of Tourism for Boonville, just attended the Midwest Bike Expo in Collinsville, Illinois. A thousand bikers attend this event. Lisa shared info about the Katy Trail, Pedaler's Jamboree and all that Boonville has to offer. Lisa reports that folks were very excited to hear about the opportunity for nice biking in Missouri. In June we'll attend Ragbrai in Iowa, an annual bike ride that draws over twenty thousand bikers.
This week has also bought several calls from tour bus operators. Most of these were planning day trips. They will be touring Warm Springs Ranch, having lunch in Boonville, and then another tour of a historic property, or a bit of gaming at the Isle. We invite buses to stop in at the Depot. This gives us an opportunity to visit with folks about upcoming events and invite them back for an overnight.
Whether visiting one on one, billboards, print or web ads, our mission at Tourism is very simple - to get folks to Boonville and to "put heads in beds". These visitors shop, dine and visit local attractions and help grow the Boonville economy. So, start dusting off the welcome mat and get ready for the tourism season- it is nearly upon us. Shop Local, Play Local and Go Boonville!